Sports Rehab

Active Release Technique

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is a soft tissue therapy technique designed to treat many different musculoskeletal conditions. A filiform needle (acupuncture needle) is used to release tension and stimulate healing through the body’s natural healing process. While there are some similarities to acupuncture, the approach is quite different. Acupuncture is based on Eastern medicine and meridians in the body. Dry Needling is based on Western medicine and dysfunctional movement patterns, trigger points, and neurology.

When joints experience pain it can often be due to an imbalance between the musculature activity. The altered activity causes improper motion of a joint which leads to joint surface irritation, then inflammation, and eventually pain.

A common response to dry needling is a local twitch response. When the needle is inserted into the dysfunctional myofascial, it effects the communication at the motor end plates, and helps restore proper communication from the brain to that site.

Dry needling has also been found to be effective in reducing local inflammation. In a recent study, a biopsy was performed on inflamed tissue pre-needling and post-needling and found that there was an immediate reduction in inflammatory markers. Another study that followed the progression of subjects who received a corticosteroid injection for shoulder pain and those that received an injection without the steroid, found that both subject groups had similar outcomes, except the group without a steroid had better long term outcomes.

The links below are additional resources for information on dry needling and what it can do for you!